This is compared to ~$2.50 a trip on the subway, which (depending on which line you're near and whether you have a transfer) could take substantially less time than a car ride.

There are however some "subway deserts" -- the upper-east and lower-east sides come to mind -- whose residences would greatly benefit from skipping two long walks a day.

For people who are intolerant of heat and odor like me, avoiding overcrowded and AC-less stations in the summer alone is worth the $2.50.

This is a great point! Too bad they ran this promo right _after_ it stopped being 100+ degrees on the 4,5,6 platform at union square or I might have done it just for this reason o_o